Laundry drying apparatus



y May 20, 1930. 1. 1: HEGARTY 1,759,113

LAUNDRY DRYING APPARATUS Filed NOV. lO, 1928 Patented MayZO,` 193.0`

JOHN J. HEGAR'JJY,` OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS -L'AUNnRY DRYING APPARATUS v Application. led November 10, 1928. Serial No. 318,500. i

My invention relates to centrifugall machines, and particularly centrifugal driers for use in removing surplus moisture from .rinsedf clothes. In the common form of. drier for thispurpose, the receptacle for the laundered clothes is in the form-of a drum with perforated outside wall to permit the escape of moisture asit lis thrown outward by the rapid rotation of the drum. In some cases 'l0 the drum is provided with partitions which divide it into compartments in which separate batches'of laundered clothes may be kept apart in the drying process. In all casesl so, far as known, the receptacle serves as a contailler in which the'laundry is loaded with the receptacle in place, and in no case are the vcontainers for multiple batches, in the form of independent receptacles nor are they used for transporting the clothes from place to place in the laundry. When the receptacle is adapted to be removable from the apparatus, yit is for the purpose of cleaning or oiling, but never as a vehicle into which the clothes may be loaded from one machine, and moved into place withvcontents in the drier.

` One object of myinvention isto provide a receptacle in which a batch of clothes may beCr loaded at a, distance from the drier, and transf ported to and assembled in the drier without 3 reloading.y

A second object is to provide such a receptacle in theform of a truck to assemble' with a plurality of like receptacles, 'with the mecha.-

nism of thecentrifugal machine to be rotated thereby for the purpose stated. I My invention consists in the novel construction and combinations illustrated and described in the-accompanying speciications and the drawings forming a part thereof.

The advantages of my invention lie in. its

articular adaptability to the commercial aundry and the saving of time 'and labor-in the handling of the clothes.-

.It is the common custom to remove the clothes from the rinse and deposit in the 'drier of whatever form.

This operation may require .transportation frompm'nnaehine to the other vby trucks, if

the washer and'drier'are' separated. i

In such cases the laundry' in separate batches is loaded on separate trucks or'into compartments on one truck, and reloaded-into the drier, the latter operation being eliminated with my invention. Should the washer and drier be close together, it is still necessary to lift the wetclothes from one machine to the other, rather thantumble them into a separate receptacle as in my apparatus. l/Vith my lnvention the labor and time of'performing the transfer is reduced to a iminimum,

with the additional advantage that duplicate receptacles may be loaded While .the drying progresses, or the receptaclesmay temporarily be used in place of the usual basket while waiting for subsequent handling.

In the drawings I have illustrated' and described a preferred form of my invention, @t do not confine myself either tb the exact form or structure of the apparatusishown, as modiications may be made without departing fromthe scope'of the appended claims.'

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a preferredform of my apparatus, shown partially in section, .substantially on the line 1-1 Fig. 2, the hous- 75 Alng being raised to loading position, vand its closed lines. Fig. 2 is a planwith part of housing and covers broken away and one receptacle removed.

Fig. 3 is tacles.

Fig. 4 is a fragment: in section on line 4 4. In the drawings l() is a shaft rotatable in 85 the step bearing 11 and the bearing 12 in the frame 13,'wl1ich is supported by the posts 14 extending upwardl from the foundation 15. A means for rotatmg the shaft is indicated. inthe motor 16 mounted on the frame 13. 90 Rigidly secured to the shaft 10, are vhubs 17-18, from which project .arms 19-20, to

position being 4indicated in brokena planv view of one of the recep v p' form spiders, the armsA being of suitable cross section, and suitably braced to engage with the receptacles as will be hereinafter eX- of the shaft 10 andaxially movable and inde-V pendent'of the shaft, to permit theadlnission 109 and removal of the receptacles I have shown this housing as a single unit to which are secured cables 22 passing over sheaves 23 rotatably supported by the frame 13, counterweights 24 being suspended from the cables to facilitate the raising of the housing when a transfer is to be made. While a housing is essential to the apparatus both as a shield for the rotatable members and to confine the water expelled from the clothes by centrifugal action, other forms than that shown may be employed as for instance a fixed housing with a plurality of hinged doors for the passage of the receptacles to and from the apparatus. The receptacles shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in place` and in Fig. 3 in plan, are formed in plan to fit wit-hin contiguous arms of the upper spider. These receptacles are provided with rollers and constitute individual trucks which may be rolled in and out of the apparatus and from place to place as need arises, thus serving as a part of the apparatus and also as trucks for transporting the clothes, replacing the usual baskets.

In my apparatus I provide a base plate 27 rigidly secured to the arms 2O of the lower spider, and secured rigidly thereto are pairs of'runways 28-29, in such radial relation'toJ the upper arms 19, that the truck rollers -26 on the respective receptacles will be guided into place in the apparatus and retained in fixed angular relation to cooperV ate with the arms 19 whichengage the particular receptacle and confine it angularly. Frogs 30-31 rigid with the foundation- 15 are radially disposed thereon to align with the runways when loading or unloading and guide the rolls before entering the runways. Hinged to the arms 19 at 3233, are the sectional covers 34, each provided with a fiange which engages the rear wall of each receptacle when the cover is closed, and prevents axial movement of the receptacle under centripetal action. In the foundation and within the limits of the housing, I provide a basin 36, into which the water thrown off collects and passes through the duct 37 to the sewer. or other waste outlet. In operation,

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a centrifugal drying apparatus having an upright rotatable shaft, the combination of a plurality of radial arms and a platform rigid with the shaft; a plurality of independent, removable` vehicular receptacles supported by the platform, radially disposed between contiguous arms, and adapted to be engaged thereby for the purpose of being rotated therewith; elements movably secured to the arms, and adapted to engage the several receptacles for retaining them in fixed relation tothe axis of the shaftwhen rotated thereabout.

2. In a centrifugal drying apparatus having an upright rotatable shaft, a plurality of radial arms and a platform rigid therewith, and removable receptacles supported by the platform and between the arms, in combination therewith elements hinged to the arms andadapted to engage the receptacles for the urpose of retaining them in fixed relation t ereto.

3. In a centrifugal drying apparatus having an upright rotatable shaft, a plurality of radial arms and a platform rigid therewith, and removable receptacles supported by the platform and between the arms, in combination therewith cover elements hinged to the arms and adapted to engage the receptacles for the purpose of retaining them in fixed relation thereto and to serve as closures to the receptacles. y

4. In a centrifugal drying apparatus of the character described in claim 2, the combination therewith of a housing member adapted to enclose the movable elements and axially movable to permit the movement of the receptacles in and out of the apparatus, and when in closed position to be immobile relative to .the .rotatlng elements enclosed.

JOHN J. HEGARTY.

' the clothes vfrom the washer are loaded into the receptacles in reasonably uniform batches, and the several receptacles are rolled to and into the drier. i

The covers are closed, and the housing lowered, after which the operative mechanism is started, and the assembled receptacles rotated. Moisture in the clothesin the receptacles is projected by centrifugal action outwardly from the axis of rotation escaping through perforations 38 in the rear wall of each receptacle. After a suitable interval the apparatus is stopped and the receptacles rolled therefrom tobe emptied and re-iilled or to be replaced by like receptacles loaded during the drying operation. 

